Corrections

Corrections to our publications

Human Rights Watch strives to maintain the highest level of accuracy in our reporting. We cannot reply individually to all corrections requests, but all such requests that specify the exact nature of the alleged inaccuracy and the publication (title, page number / web address and date) in which it appeared will be reviewed. If you believe you have found an inaccuracy in our materials, please contact us.

Recent Corrections

5/9: An earlier version of this news release identified Mustapha Khalfi as the government spokesman. We have corrected his affiliation to read as “government spokesman and delegate minister for relations with the parliament and civil society.”

The report, press release, and a graphic have been corrected to reflect the following changes:

Human Rights Watch identified bomb fragments from the impact crater associated with the attack as consistent with a 250 kilogram Soviet-manufactured chemical munition. We described this munition as most likely a "KhAB-250," an abbreviation of the commonly used Russian term Khimicheskaya Aviatsionnaya Bomba, or “Chemical Aviation Bomb." However, the official nomenclature for this class of weapon is inconsistent, and we have removed the term "KhAB-250" from the report and press release to avoid confusion. We have also updated the report to reflect that the Soviet Union produced several types of chemical munitions, rather than two types as we originally said. A new appendix sets out in further detail the available information about sarin bombs produced by the Soviet Union.

The original version of this report incorrectly recorded the measurements of the impact crater in the road in Khan Sheikhoun recorded by Forensic Architecture as 1.62 centimeters in diameter and 0.42 centimeters deep. The unit of measure has been corrected to be meters, not centimeters.

Members of the al-Youssef family and other sources provided Human Rights Watch with the names of 25 people from the al-Youssef family they believed to be dead. Two of the people on the list were injured, but survived, bringing the number of the dead to 90, not 92.

The report, press release, and a graphic have been corrected to reflect the following changes:

Human Rights Watch identified bomb fragments from the impact crater associated with the attack as consistent with a 250 kilogram Soviet-manufactured chemical munition. We described this munition as most likely a "KhAB-250," an abbreviation of the commonly used Russian term Khimicheskaya Aviatsionnaya Bomba, or “Chemical Aviation Bomb." However, the official nomenclature for this class of weapon is inconsistent, and we have removed the term "KhAB-250" from the report and press release to avoid confusion. We have also updated the report to reflect that the Soviet Union produced several types of chemical munitions, rather than two types as we originally said. A new appendix sets out in further detail the available information about sarin bombs produced by the Soviet Union.

The original version of this report incorrectly recorded the measurements of the impact crater in the road in Khan Sheikhoun recorded by Forensic Architecture as 1.62 centimeters in diameter and 0.42 centimeters deep. The unit of measure has been corrected to be meters, not centimeters.

Members of the al-Youssef family and other sources provided Human Rights Watch with the names of 25 people from the al-Youssef family they believed to be dead. Two of the people on the list were injured, but survived, bringing the number of the dead to 90, not 92.

4/29: The original news release stated that the draft law subjects anyone who directly or indirectly earns income from reporting news to the public without a license – and their company, agency, or organization – to up to two years in prison; however, the draft law was amended, increasing the penalty to three years.

This news release originally stated that “the latest UNICEF estimates, compiled through an improved enrollment-tracking system” in Jordan, found that fewer Syrian children were enrolled in public schools than had previously been reported. The news release has been corrected to clarify that more accurate school enrollment figures were collected through an improved enrollment-tracking system managed by the government of Jordan, and adds the final sentence to that paragraph.

An earlier version of this news release misidentified the House Judiciary Committee member who suggested a need to view claims about the constitutionality of Section 702 with skepticism. The news release has been changed to reflect this.

The February 17, 2017 report incorrectly stated that there was no procedure in place to allow people to apply for an emergency e-pass if it is needed for family emergency or other extraordinary situations, however this only pertains to medical emergency or other extraordinary situations. Additionally, the crossing points are open from 6 a.m. to8 p.m. during the summer, instead of closing at 10 p.m.